Manial Palace

The Prince Mohamed Ali Palace, better known as the Manial Palace, is a royal palace and garden on Roda Island in the Nile in Cairo. Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik built it between 1899 and 1929, mixing Ottoman, Moorish, Persian and Mamluk styles, and today it’s a museum with some of the most beautiful interiors in the city.

Quick facts: it’s open every day from 9:00 am until about 4:00–5:00 pm. Tickets for foreign adults cost roughly EGP 100–220, and students pay about half; prices change, so check at the gate. Plan 1.5 to 2 hours. It’s usually quiet, even when the big sights are busy.

Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik (1875–1955) was the son of Khedive Tewfik and the younger brother of Khedive Abbas Hilmi II. For many years he was the heir to Egypt’s throne, and in 1936–37 he led the regency council for the young King Farouk.

He was a keen traveller, collector and lover of Islamic art and gardens, and the palace reflects all of these interests. After the 1952 revolution he left Egypt, and he died in Lausanne in 1955.

The prince began building on Roda Island in 1899 and kept adding to the complex for 30 years, until 1929. He planned much of it himself, combining the Islamic styles he loved, from Ottoman and Moorish to Persian and Mamluk, with modern comforts of the time.

He left the palace to the nation in his will, and after the revolution it became a museum. A major restoration finished in 2015, and the palace reopened to visitors with its halls, collections and gardens restored.

• Built: 1899–1929.
• Owner: Prince Mohamed Ali Tewfik, son of Khedive Tewfik and heir to the throne.
• Styles: Ottoman, Moorish, Persian, Mamluk and European elements in one complex.
• Layout: several separate buildings in a large garden, including a reception palace, the residence, a throne hall, a private mosque, a clock tower and museums.
• Gardens: rare trees and plants the prince collected on his travels, including a huge banyan tree.

The Manial Palace is at the northern end of Roda Island, in the Manial district, about 3 km south of Tahrir Square. It sits on the eastern channel of the Nile, opposite Garden City.

At the southern tip of the same island you’ll find the Nilometer and the Umm Kulthum Museum, so you can combine them in one visit. Across the river, Old Cairo (Coptic Cairo) is a short taxi ride south.

Yes, especially if you like architecture and interiors. Many rooms are covered from floor to ceiling in tiles, painted wood, carved plaster and stained glass, and almost every hall has a different style.

It’s also a calm, green place to rest from the city, with far fewer visitors than the Egyptian Museum or the Citadel. If you’ve already seen the main sights, it’s one of the best “next level” places to visit in Cairo.

• The reception palace: beautiful tiled halls where the prince received his guests.
• The residence palace: the private rooms, with the famous Shell Room, the Blue Salon and richly decorated bedrooms.
• The throne hall: a grand hall with portraits of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.
• The mosque and clock tower: a small, highly decorated private mosque by the entrance.
• The private and hunting museums: the prince’s collections of manuscripts, carpets and silver, and a hall of hunting trophies.
• The gardens: shady paths, rare trees and a large banyan tree.

Come in the morning, when the light in the halls is best and the gardens are cool and quiet. October to April is the most comfortable season. Weekdays are calmer than Fridays and holidays.

• Taxi or Uber: ask for “Qasr al-Manial” (Manial Palace). It’s 10–20 minutes from Downtown.
• Metro: El-Malek El-Saleh station (Line 1) is across the river; from there, it’s about a 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride.
• On foot: from Garden City, cross the small bridge to Roda Island.

Smart casual, modest clothes are best: shoulders and knees covered. Wear comfortable shoes for the gardens. Women don’t need to cover their hair, except if they want to enter the small mosque.

Yes. It’s a quiet, well-guarded museum in a residential area. Keep the usual city habits: watch your phone and bag in traffic, and use an app or agree on a taxi price in advance.

• Buy your ticket at the gate and ask whether there’s a separate photography fee.
• Go through the buildings in order: the reception palace first, then the residence, then the throne hall and museums.
• Look up: many of the best details are on the ceilings.
• Bring water in summer; there’s little shade between the buildings.
• Combine the visit with the Nilometer on Roda Island or with Coptic Cairo.

Take your time and visit every building, not just the main residence. A guide helps a lot, because many rooms have little English labelling.

For a full day of Cairo’s history, our Christian and Islamic Cairo day tour covers Coptic Cairo, the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, Sultan Hassan and Khan El Khalili. The palace itself isn’t part of this tour, but it’s a short taxi ride from Coptic Cairo, so it’s easy to add on your own.

Plan 1.5 to 2 hours to see all the buildings and walk in the gardens. If you only want the highlights, an hour is enough.

Foreign adults pay roughly EGP 100–220, and foreign students pay about half. Egyptians pay much less. There may be a separate fee for cameras. Prices change, so check the board at the ticket window.

The palace is open every day from 9:00 am until about 4:00–5:00 pm, with last entry about an hour before closing. Hours are shorter during Ramadan.

If you enjoy beautiful interiors, royal history and quiet gardens, the Manial Palace is one of Cairo’s best hidden gems. Combine it with Coptic Cairo or the Nile riverside for a relaxed half day, and see our Downtown Cairo and Zamalek guides for nearby areas.

Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Manial Palace): A Guide for First-Time Visitors

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Pyramids of Giza | Ibn Tulun Mosque | Mosque Madrassa of Sultan Hassan | Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Al Manial Palace) | The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization | Mosque of Mohamed Ali | Nile River in Egypt |  Sharia Al Muizz Li Din Allah | Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo | The Egyptian Museum in Cairo | Khan Al Khalili | Al Azhar Mosque | Grand Egyptian Museum | Cairo Tower | Al azhar park | Downtown | Zamalek Island